Returning to Her Heart
by Calie1
Summary: She couldn't hide forever. Follow up to Leaving Her Heart.


Notes: Follow up to Leaving Her Heart. I will be writing one more one shot after this. Thanks for all the reviews!

* * *

Oliver groaned and bent his neck from side to side, closing his eyes as it released a satisfying crack. He lifted his wrist up and glanced down at his watch and sighed. It was nearing six, he was nowhere near done, but the sound of pounding footsteps reminded him that that he'd have to find a stopping point regardless.

The door burst open, and a small boy with a head of messy blond hair came bounding through, book bag clutched in one hand, and something in the other.

"Pizza!" Connor yelled and dropped his bag half way across the room.

"Yea, pizza." Oliver clicked his pen and dropped it on the desk. As he stood up Connor ran into his leg, throwing his arms around his thigh. Noticing the paper still clutched in Connor's hand he nodded at it and sat back down. "What do you have there?"

Eyes widening in confusion at first Connor finally looked down. "Here."

Oliver took the paper shoved into his hand and glanced up as Connor ran back to his bag, then up at the young woman still standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. "That'll be all Alice." She nodded.

"Bye Connor!"

"Bye!" He yelled after her, and waved his hand behind his back as he dug through his bag.

Once the door closed her he turned back to the picture in his hand and stood up. Connor's drawing skills were well enough that he could make out a stick out, grass, a sun, some strange box on the ground, and a stick figure. "What's this buddy?" He asked as he walked towards Connor.

"Huh?" Connor looked up, and then back down at his school bag. "Oh, Ms. Bennet told us to draw what we want for Christmas."

Oliver squinted at the picture, trying to decide if he should just ask or guess. "You want a house?"

"No!" Connor laughed. "You're silly. That's our house, it's already there."

"Then what do you want for Christmas?"

"That's mama and her computer." Connor said simply. "Look!" He exclaimed and pulled his hand out his school bag. "Look at this big rock I found!" Without even waiting for a reply he pulled up the handle on his bag and yanked it behind him as he ran, the wheels on the bottom wobbling slightly as it rocked back and forth. He got to the door and turned around. "Come on dad. You said we could eat pizza!"

Glancing up at Connor, unable to move for even a moment he just nodded, staring at the boy, seeing in him again the features that were so familiar of Chloe's. "Yea, okay. Let's go get some pizza." Clutching the picture in his hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, finding Victor's number and sending a brief text.

_Anything new?_

_

* * *

_

A week later, four days before Christmas, Oliver got a 911 text from Victor. Excusing himself from his board meeting he exited the conference room and closed himself up in his office.

Settling into the plush leather chair he waited. On the second ring he answered. "What's up?"

"_I found her."_

His back straitened and Victor had his full attention. "Where?"

"_In Montana of all places. A little town. I sent Bart ahead to double check before I called you. He's going to keep his eyes on her."_

"So it is her?" He asked softly, somehow thinking if he said it too loudly someone would know or perhaps it wouldn't even be true.

"_Yea. But we have new problems."_

_

* * *

_

"Hey." Oliver kneeled down in front of Connor. "Look, it's only for a few days."

"You said that last time." Connor pouted, sticking out his bottom lip.

"You're going to trip on that," Oliver said with a grin and tapped his lip. "Give me a hug." Short arms were thrown around him and he stood up, lifting Connor off the floor. "I'll be home before Christmas. And you're out of school, so no homework. You and Alice can do all kinds of fun stuff while I'm gone."

"But you always go away," Connor pouted and buried his face into his father's neck. "You said we could go on the jet."

"I know." He said with a sigh and rubbed his back. "I'm sorry. But if you're good, maybe I can bring you back a surprise."

Connor pulled back, looking into his dad's face, his eyes widening with wonder. "What kind of surprise?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be much of a surprise." The pout returned to Connor's face and Oliver smiled. "I promise it will be the best surprise ever okay?"

"Humpf." Connor pouted and crossed his arms, turning his head away.

"Okay, no surprise for Connor."

"No!!!"

"Alright, then give me a hug and a kiss." Connor's arm were around him again and as he pressed a kiss to Oliver's cheek Oliver closed his eyes and sighed, praying that he could bring Connor back the surprise he intended, and not one purchased at a store because he couldn't get to Chloe in time.

* * *

The jet was off in the air in minutes, the tense anger of Oliver Queen moving the pilots along sufficiently. Picking up his phone he hit the sped dial. It rang once, twice, and three times before it picked up. "What's our status?"

"_I'm already set up, AC should be here in less then an hour. You found Mia?"_

Oliver glanced over at the brunette taping her fingers on her knee and watching the big screen TV. "Yea, just in time. Run over everything again with AC when he gets there. Did you ever hear from Dinah?" There was a sigh on the other end.

"_I was never able to find her. She's still off the grid. Although I'll be honest, I didn't have much time to look."_

"Alright. We should be landing in about three hours. Have everything ready."

"_Already on top of it."_

Oliver ended the phone call and dropped his cell to his lap, turning his head out the window and staring off into the clouds.

"You didn't think she would really come, right?"

At the sound of Mia's voice the turned his head to find the younger girl still in her chair, but facing him now. "What?"

"Dinah. You blew her off," Mia said with a grin. "What did you expect? Plus, all of a sudden you have a three year old love child."

"Shut it Mia. I couldn't help what happened with Connor, and if she couldn't deal with it, then good riddance." With a final glare he turned his head against to look out the window.

"I agree," she said and stood up, taking a few steps, and dropping into the seat next to him. "She was a bit uppity for my taste. But, I don't think it was so much Connor. I mean sure, that was a blow, but you didn't even try getting her involved with Connor, in fact I think you avoided it." She paused waiting for him to confirm it or at least tell her to shut up again. When he did nothing she continued. "I think, you didn't want Connor having a relationship with her, that you didn't want Dinah getting it into her head for one minute she could play mommy."

With an angry sigh he turned to Mia. "Even if it is true, so what Mia? Maybe Dinah isn't mother material. I had a lot going on, trying to build a relationship with a son I didn't know about. Dinah's emotional tantrums weren't very high on my list."

With a knowing smirk she leaned forward, propping her arms on her knees. "I agree, whole heartedly. But Oliver, do you really think Dinah would have taken off so quickly if it was just Connor?"

His jaw clenched as Mia hinted to something besides his son. Turning away from her, refusing to even humor her with an answer he looked out the window again.

"Your renewed search for Chloe came second to only Connor. If anything drove Dinah away it was your obsession with finding a woman that has been gone for five years. A woman who is suspected of murder, stole money from you, and left willingly. If that isn't a blow to a girls ego, then I don't know what is." She waited, hoping for some kind of reaction from him. He never spoke about Chloe, at least not his feelings about her, when he did it was all business. So she pulled out her last card to play. "You know what, I'm going to ask the question everyone else has been suspecting and wanting to ask, and don't lie to me. I think your new search for Chloe, the fact that you didn't want Dinah forming a relationship with Connor, and his sudden arrival; are all related. I think little Ms. Chloe took off five years ago, carrying a little baby Queen, sent him to live with his father for some reason I'm not sure of, but it must be dangerous considering how much fire-power we are packing. And now you are so obsessed with finding her not just for Connor, because she is the mother of your son, but I think you were in love with her weren't you? And there is a pretty good chance you still are." Mia waited, fully expecting his hard eyes turned on her, face lit with anger, but he didn't move, didn't even budge.

Not a muscle twitched or an eyelid blink. It was almost as if she wasn't there. With a sigh she sat back into the chair. For a few moments she looked out her own window, considering if she should say anything or not. His silence was the answer she needed. If she was wrong he would have told her right out, but his silence meant only one thing, he didn't want to talk about it, he couldn't. She couldn't begin to understand the pain he must have been going through in that moment, reliving the memories of Chloe, worrying about Connor. "Can I make a point and a suggestion?" He said nothing and she stood to look down on him, fully intending to take her own seat again. "She won't come willingly. You're going to have to tranquilize her."

* * *

It was a small town, much like Smallville, and Oliver half expected she chose it because of its familiarity. Bart was there and waiting; camped out on the rooftop of a three story office building. Victor, Bart and Mia were elsewhere, all surrounding the building.

"Hey boss. My ass is starting to get numb. So are we really using her as bait?"

"Yes. This isn't going to end, even if we do get her back. I want to know what we're dealing with." He nodded to the scope set up. "Let me see."

"Don't move it, she's right there."

Right there. The words seemed so simple, but it meant more than Oliver could say. Moving into position he lowered his head and lined his eye up with the scope... And suddenly... There she was. It seemed too easy. Because there she was; just sitting there, easy for the taking. Her hair was red, which seemed kind of eerie to him. A random thought hit him that he hoped it was a wig. But she looked the same, sitting there curled up on her sofa, head bent over her laptop, the light from the TV flashing across her face. He couldn't help but grin to himself as he recalled Connor's picture of Chloe and the fact that he had included a computer in it. At the thought of his son he sobered quickly. Just as he was about to turn back and instruct Bart to continue his watch he caught site of a shadow, scaling the side of the building, nearing the second floor were Chloe lived situated above the grocery store. "They're early." He pulled his grappling hook out and aimed.

"Oliver, what—?"

That was all he heard as he flew over the street. There was a mixture of confusion and orders in his ear, but he didn't respond. Instead crashing through the window, rolling, and finding his feet.

The sound of glass shattering had her reaching for her gun buried underneath the pillow. In a matter of seconds she slipped her hand between the throw pillow and cushion, wrapping her hand around the cool metal, finger settling over the trigger, and then she took aim, only halfway into a standing position. Her finger flexed, ready to pull the trigger when she gasped at the site of the man standing in her apartment.

It lasted only seconds, the look between them, and although she couldn't see his eyes behind the glasses, he could see her, the shock and the fear in them. Seeing her, it was enough to make his heart pound in his chest, make him forget to breathe. And then the moment was over, more glass shattered and he was pushing her to the ground. There was flash of red on his right and Mia's long dark hair. He only hoped the other's were close by as he engaged the attacker.

As the first man in black came through the window she was on her feet and moving, running barefoot in only her pajama pants and t-shirt with her gun clutched in her hands. She had eyes only for the stairs, yet even as she ran it was hard to resist the urge to look back, and she did, just briefly, needing to see he was okay. There was a blur of green dodging a punch and she was running again, fighting tears as thoughts of Connor rose to the surface. She was out the door and down the street in seconds.

Last man down, Oliver turned his head, scanning the destroyed room. "Where is she?" He looked to Mia and AC, the only two standing there with him. They looked around with confusion. "No! Hold them!" He hollered behind him as he took off down the stairs. "Impulse!"

"_I'm here."_

"She's gone... Took off down the stairs... Find her."

"_I'm on it."_

He exited onto the empty street, looking up and down and seeing nothing. With a growl he made a right to the darker end of the street. It was only moments before he heard Bart's voice over the earpiece.

"_Hey Mamacita."_

"_Don't make me shoot you Bart, I will."_

"_Faster than a bullet, you know that."_

"Where is he?" Oliver said into his com.

"Up two more streets," Victor said over the com-link, "make a right."

"_It doesn't mean I won't try."_

"_Now why would you want to hurt an old friend?"_

"_I don't have any friends."_

He turned the corner and spotted her with her back turned to him, gun aimed at Bart. "Enough." She jumped and spun around on him, turning the gun directly at him. "You aren't going to shoot me Chloe."

Her hand shook slightly at the truth of his words. She wouldn't have shot Bart either, but she definitely couldn't shoot Oliver. "I need to leave."

"No." He said simply and began closing the distance between her and him slowly. "I'm not playing by your rules anymore, Chloe."

"You don't understand; it's safer this way. It's the only way." As he moved closer she stepped backwards, but she was trapped. There were to many of them and he didn't come all this way just to let her go.

"Your way is always the only way, right Chloe? Well I'm sorry but that doesn't fly with me any longer." Her face twisted in pain and her hand shook, once close enough he snatched the gun from her hand and tossed it to the side.

"You don't understand!" Chloe exclaimed. "It isn't safe! I'm not safe! Anyone around me is NOT safe!"

"And you're going to play the sacrificial martyr again?!" He grabbed her arms roughly when he noticed her move away from him. "You don't get to play that card anymore. This is over."

"No." She shook her head, resolved still that this was the only way. "You don't understand, you can't—."

"And what about the people you left Chloe? What about the people you left behind? Did you ask them how they felt? And what about Connor, did you ask him?" He noticed Bart move out of the corner of his eyes, and glanced up, the younger man's eyes on his. Chances are the others heard everything he'd just said, the cat was out of the bag.

At the sound of his name she shuddered, feeling the weight of her loss crash down upon her. No one had spoken his name to her in the eight months since she had sent him to Oliver, no one knew him except her. With a shake of her head she shook away the desperation that threatened to overcome within her and fought his grip. "I'm keeping him safe. Let me go." She took a step backward, trying to wrench her arms free of his hold, but they didn't budge. "Let me go!"

Unfortunately, Mia had been right. Whipping her around and pressing her back against his chest, he wrapped his arm around her body, holding her securely against him. "I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

The needle pierced her neck and she gasped at the prick of pain. It took only seconds before her eyes were falling shut and her knees folding beneath her. The world spun as her feet were lifted off the ground. As her eyes shut she felt the rough leather against her face, and recognized the smell of it. "No, Ollie," she whispered, in her last attempt to stop him and then passed out.

* * *

"What are you going to do?" Mia asked as she pushed open the door and stood behind Oliver.

He shrugged. "I barely expected to get this far, I didn't want to jinx myself by thinking any further."

"She's going to try and run again." Mia said and turned her eyes from the back of Oliver's blond head and settled them on the blond that was sleeping. "You can't hold her forever."

"I'm hoping once she sees Connor that won't be an issue," he whispered and dropped his face into his hands with a sigh.

"I know what you're doing Oliver. You say you aren't thinking far ahead, but you are. I mean; she left Connor, you would have been within your right to leave her be."

"I don't know why she did it. And if Lex is after her like we suspect..."

"Then it is all her doing!" Mia exclaimed and threw her hands up. Stepping around the chair she stood in front of him. "I mean how many times did she cross the line Oliver? She killed Tess! She ran! She did something to draw Lex's notice!"

"I don't know why she killed Tess." He stood up and stared down at Mia, taking full advantage of his height. "And I don't know why she ran. Does it make it okay? No. Did the fact that Lex was or is a murdering piece of crap make it okay that a blew him up? No!"

"And what about Connor!? What if she does leave! What will that do to him!?" There was a flash of pain across Oliver's face and then he turned and looked back down to the sleeping woman. "You know what your problem is; you aren't thinking clearly. Your letting your emotions get in the way. Deep down you aren't just doing this for Connor's mother; you're doing this for you. You want to save her don't you? In fact, call me a fool, or perhaps call you a fool, but I'm starting to think you want more than to just save her, Oliver."

"That's enough." He growled out and turned back to his seat at Chloe's bedside.

"And what?! You're just going to let her waltz back into your life?! Just like that? No harm done?" He said nothing and only sat back in his chair again, watching to woman lying still in the. "I guess they're right, people really are fools when they're in love."

With a snarl he was up again. "I've had about enough of you and your assumptions Mia. Why don't you put that mind to work worrying about yourself instead of my life. I'm not a damn fool, even though you seem to think I am. Even if Chloe came back to me begging for forgiveness, I couldn't give it. But I can guarantee you even if I was stupid enough to try and get her back, that would be the last thing she would do. And let me remind you," he said slowly, his voice holding a dangerous warning, "my first priority is Connor, not Chloe. Don't forget that." Her face raised slightly, sharp eyes looking down her nose at him before she huffed slightly and spun on her heals and left.

* * *

Four hours later he was sitting on the sofa in his room, laptop on his lap, papers strewn over the cushions, trying to catch up on the work he missed. Chloe, lay only a few feet away in his bed, slowly starting to wake. It started with a soft moan here and there, then her body began to move. Eventually she turned her head to face him, eyes open, but not exactly focused. He only stared at her, not yet willing to move or speak. There were two things he knew: he didn't want her to run into hiding again and he wasn't ready to forgive her. His feelings for her were conflicting. When she left he'd been angry and hurt, and although it had taken him some time to admit it, she'd taken a piece of his heart with her. And as much as he hated to admit it at that moment; he still had felt things for her that he chose not to admit, to even think about, because he was still angry and resentful of her actions. Yet even as he stared into her green eyes, anger boiling in him again, he couldn't help but feel a small feeling of relief.

"Where am I?" She asked, wincing at how scratchy and sore her throat felt.

"Star City," he said simply and slid his laptop onto the sofa. As he stood he grabbed the bottle of water he had been drinking and closed the distance between her and the bed. As she pushed herself up he held a hand behind her, not touching her, just making sure she was steady. She took the bottle and chugged it greedily. Satisfied that she wouldn't be tipping over from the effects of the drugs he stepped back.

She inhaled sharply, glancing around.

"He's not here." Oliver said after realizing that the person she was looking for was Connor. At look of relief on her face he frowned. "You'd just pick up and leave wouldn't you?"

"It isn't that easy." Chloe said and moved her feet off the bed. Her vision swam, but she remained steady, planting her bare feet on the floor. At the thought of her bare feet she looked down, finding herself still in her pajamas. As she moved to step around him, fully expecting him to stop her, he did, moving only a step to his right. With a sigh she stopped, because there would be no stopping him. He couldn't keep her there, he wouldn't, but he wouldn't let her go immediately. "You want answers," she said simply. He didn't say anything or even nod, just stood their silent and unmoving. "Okay." Sighing, she walked around him, on the side furthest from the door, and took a seat in a chair near the sofa he had occupied earlier. Rubbing her face furiously she sighed again and leaned back, tucking her hands between her knees and then moving them again to rub at her knees. "Tess..." Chloe began slowly, "knew about Connor, she knew I was pregnant." Swallowing she turned her face up and met his eyes. "She was going to use it against me, threaten me, and I knew, that she would never let go."

"So you killed her?" He asked simply. He'd had long enough to get used to the idea of Chloe murdering Tess.

Without even realizing it her eyes hardened, her teeth grinding just slightly as her jaw set. "Yes, I don't believe for one minute that once Connor was born she wouldn't have used him against me, or you."

"And don't you think I would have understood that," he snapped finally. He understood her need to protect her friends and family, but he was at the end of the line. Her need to sacrifice herself was tiring. "It isn't just about you Chloe." He grounded out.

"It was when it was the figurative gun to my head!" She exclaimed as she stood, narrowing her eyes at him.

"We all face danger. We all fear putting our friends and family in the line of fire, not just you." He closed the distance between them, using his height to his advantage and glaring down at her.

"I did what I had to do," she said resolutely and raised her head.

"You did what you wanted to do! You consulted no one, you did what you thought was right." She opened her mouth to argue, but he'd had enough. "Just stop!" He boomed loudly. He shook his head in wonder. "Did you really think you would leave and everything would be okay? Did you really think that one day no one would find you? When Connor grew up, didn't you think one day he would ask questions?" He paused looking at her in wonder. "How did you think this would end Chloe?"

She swallowed, blinking furiously. The soft tone of his last question digging deeper into her heart more then his words ever could. "I was trying to protect him," Chloe said weakly, a last ditch effort to make him understand.

"And I couldn't have helped you?"

"You..." Chloe started and pursed her lips as she debated on whether to dig herself in deeper. "We weren't...anything." It sounded lame, but it was the best she could explain it at that moment. "We were the product of two people that were lonely and scarred by relationships... And that wasn't enough for me to rely on."

"You couldn't rely on me..." He bit the inside of his lip and nodded before turning away from her and creating some distance between them before he turned and faced her. "Regardless of what our situation was you could trust me." He shook his head in disbelief, looking at her as if she had lost her mind. "What is wrong with you?"

"It would have been too dangerous." Chloe shook her head. "I just couldn't take the chance. I loved him already, and I just couldn't take the chance of staying behind. I know it wasn't right, taking him from you... But our relationship was so sordid, I just couldn't—."

"I was in love with you!" He exclaimed and took steps towards her, but stopping and leaving a couple of feet between them. "You couldn't take a chance on me?" He swallowed, his face most likely showing the pain he felt at her betrayal. "I was in love with you! I would have done _anything_!"

Her breath came out in a broken shudder. Slowly she stepped back, her legs bumping into the chair, and then she collapsed into it.

"I would have covered up Tess' death for you, I would have hid you, I would have put Lex Luthor in the ground again if I thought it would have kept you and Connor safe!" Anger coursed through him as old feelings came to the surface. "I would have done anything you asked of me, anything to keep you safe, and you left me, you picked up and left."

She hadn't been leaving _him_. It wasn't like it had been on purpose. The last thing she had wanted to do was hurt him. Slowly, she turned her eyes up to meet his and immediately regretted it. The pain was there, the anger. Slowly she recalled her last time in the watchtower, how calmly she had left. It hadn't been easy for sure. But it was her conviction that what she was doing was the best choice and given a second chance, she probably still would have walked out that door. Yet she couldn't help but wonder if knowing his true feelings before she left would have made it harder to leave, would have made her second guess herself. At that time she was by no means in love with him... But she wasn't foolish enough to believe she wouldn't have been given time under better circumstances. "I'm sorry," she whispered softly. Propping her elbows on her knees she buried her face in her hands. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you or anyone, only to save Connor."

"Three years Chloe." He shook his head in disbelief; still not able to understand how she felt it was okay to stay gone for so long. "Three years you were gone, three years you kept him from me."

She sighed shakily, trying to arrange her thoughts, make sense of them so that he understood. "It wasn't a joy ride for me," Chloe admitted. "And eventually it did begin to wear me down. The stress, the guilt… I thought about returning." Turning her head up she looked at him pleadingly, hoping he would understand. "And around the time Connor was five months old Lex found me. I'd suspected for a couple of months through random checks that he was there, somewhere, and somehow he knew it was me. So I ran, too scared to even come out of hiding for a moment. I thought he'd move on, find bigger fish to fry," Chloe admitted and shook her head at her own folly, "but he didn't."

"So you sent Connor here," Oliver finished for her. She only nodded in response, silent now. He waited, expecting her to argue further, try to leave, but she just sat there, turning from him and stared strait ahead, lost. Their issues weren't important at that moment; he knew he had to put them to the side. There was no way to resolve the years of hurt and loss that her disappearance had caused for both of them. One thing did need to be discussed. "This has got to be over Chloe, this running." She looked to him, eyes widening in what he could only assume was panic. "Do you really think you can leave knowing Connor is so close, do you think I could, in good conscious, let you?"

"He's after me—"

"He's after everyone!" Oliver exclaimed and sighed, trying again to reign in his temper. Lex was after Chloe, for what he couldn't be sure. "Why?" When she glanced away from him nervously he narrowed his eyes. "Chloe..."

"I took things, from Tess, as insurance. I didn't believe for one moment that Lex would be alive."

With a groan Oliver walked around the coffee table and took a seat on the sofa. Resting his forearms on his knees he clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "Anything that can be used?"

"Maybe." She said softly to his question, not liking at all where he was going with it.

"Okay..." That bit of information he would tuck away until a later date, but in the mean time, there was still the issue of Connor. "Look, I'm not willing to give him up, but he misses you." There was a flicker of pain on her face and her eyes brightened before she looked away. There was no hiding the tears though, they were plain as day as they slid down her pale cheeks. "Chloe, just like you shouldn't have kept me out of his life for three years, you can't keep yourself out of his life for another three years."

She shook her head, not even sure if she could speak. After a few moments and a couple of deep breaths she turned to him. "Why? I kept him from you, why would you care?"

As he considered her question he pursed his lips together, because he would have been within his right to keep Connor from her, another man might have. Except Oliver knew Connor missed her and he knew Chloe loved him, and just as Mia suspected, Oliver still felt something for Chloe, even after all this time. "He loves you... And as twisted as your mind was when you left, I know you had his safety in mind, even though I don't agree with it. I can't forgive you for what you did, not now. But I can't in good conscious, keep you from him." He paused glancing out the window behind her and then looking back at her. "Or keep him from you."

"Lex is looking for me." She wiped her eyes angrily, wishing for a moment that it had been Lex she put the bullet in, not Tess. In fact, there was no doubt in her mind if Lex Luthor stood in front of her right then she would have killed him. Some things had changed over the past couple of years, her killer maternal instinct hadn't. It seemed only fitting that she bore her son to the only person to pull the figurative trigger on Lex Luthor. At least if she ever killed Lex, he would understand.

"It isn't the first time your life has been in danger... And it won't be the last. And regardless of what you think of how I feel about you, I want you safe Chloe. You don't have a home, you're on the run, and he will find you, he did. So stay here. Stay in the manor for all I care, stay with Connor. If that isn't what you want then find somewhere else in Star City to stay, but don't take off on him again. You trusted me to keep Connor safe, now trust me on this."

She opened her mouth to argue again, but loud, pounding footsteps stopped her. They were quick and fast as they hit the hardwood floor. A giggle made its way through the closed door and to her ears. With a gasp she turned to Oliver, not sure if she should run away or towards the noise. The decision was made for her though.

"Dad! I'm home early!"

The door was thrown open and Chloe inhaled sharply, her mouth falling open and closing at the familiar yet changed little boy that stood in the doorway. His brown eyes opened in shock, as he gasped. Slowly, she stood up and took a couple of steps towards him, then stopped, unsure how much the eight months she had been gone had changed his memory of her. He was four, not a baby, but still a very young child.

Oliver turned behind him to spot Connor standing there, silent and shy for the first time in his life. He couldn't help but smirk as he realized Connor's constant talking came from his mother. Yet they both stood there, mouths open like fish out of water. "Come here buddy." Oliver waved him over. When the little boy didn't move, he tried again. "Come on." Slowly Connor took a few steps near him, stopping at his side. Wrapping an arm around Connor he nodded up at Chloe. "Who is that?"

"Momma," Connor said softly and turned his head into Oliver, peaking out at the strange woman in front of him. "Her hair is different."

"Remember the pictures?" Oliver asked as a reminder. Connor nodded into his neck.

Biting her lips she did her best to control the sob that threatened to escape. He was unsure of her, that was to be expected. She knew that would happen. It didn't mean it hurt any less. Slowly, worried she might scare him, she kneeled down in front of him. "Hey..." Connor scooted closer to Oliver and she couldn't help but be hurt and relieved at the same time seeing Connor's attachment to the father he hadn't known. But she smiled regardless, blinking back the tears, and lifted her hand to her short blond hair, pulling at it. "It's like yours now."

"Like daddy's too." Connor added and glanced up at his father's hair.

"Yea..." Chloe nodded. "Like daddy's too." Slowly, she smiled at him, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "So where's my hug from my baby?"

"I'm a big boy." Connor said, lifting his head from his father.

Chloe laughed softly, finding that after eight months he still had remained the same. "So maybe I should find a new baby then?"

"No!" He exclaimed sharply, pulling away from Oliver and frowning.

"So you're my baby?" Chloe asked again, her lips forming a familiar grin, one that only belonged to him.

"No! I said I'm a big boy!" Connor huffed and stomped his food. "I'm not a baby."

"Oh well." Chloe shrugged, and did her best to brush it off. "I guess I'll have to find a new baby to hug me."

"No!" He exclaimed once more and then threw himself at his mother, wrapping his arms tightly around her neck.

Regardless of the fact that he almost knocked her over she closed her eyes and sighed as she wrapped her arms around him. "Goodness you're strong." Chloe whispered, turning her face in to Connor's hair and breathing in. Regardless of the fact that he lived in a new house, wore new clothes, he smelled just as she remembered. "Maybe you are a big boy."

"I told you so."

With a smile she opened her eyes, not caring any longer about the tears that flooded them and streamed down her cheeks. She met Oliver's eyes and for a moment she wanted to turn away from him. Because he knew, Oliver knew what seeing Connor would do to her. Walking away from Connor once was hard enough, but a second time, she couldn't abuse his trust like that, never again.


End file.
